Electric fuse clamp



Feb. 13', 1934. J, E CARLSON 1,946,897

ELECTRIC FUSE CLAMP Filed May 20, 1932 Fig. J-

1 l 12\ Inj- 9 1 -17 1.--5' i 1 l L" 'l L /1 17' :j Y .5; -F- '@)if :1-1:5", 3T I: l T3 12 7 INVENTOR `Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,946,597 ELECTRIC FUSE CLAMP necticut Application May 20, 1932. Serial No. 612,428

4 Claims.

My invention relates particularly to a method of mounting cartridge type fuses.

One object is to provide a simple but eiective device for locking or clamping such a fuse in place.

` monnection.

nother object is to provide a form of clamp 5 which may be mounted in pairs so that they may be applied to the respective ends of the fuse without reversing the correlated parts of either one of the clamps.

Another .object is to provide a fuse clip and clamping device Which-can be made and handled or assembled as a unit.

In carrying out the invention I provide a clip or clamping device having two jaws connected together and one of which is preferably hinged and adapted to be pressed toward the other by means of a cam and lever.

Fig. 1 is a front view of a supporting base with a pair of clamps holding a conventional type of cartridge fuse.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.

Fig. 3 is an end view and section of 'the same.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the clamping devices.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a modification.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a preferred form of 1fuse holder, shown in open position in dotted lines.V

Each clamp has a base 6 adapted to be secured to a circuit terminal 7 and an insulating support 8 in the usual manner, for instance, by means of a screw 9 which may be screwed into the threaded boss 10 in the base or provided with a nut.

This clamp is provided with a stationary jaw 11 and a movable jaw 12 adapted to grip between them the terminals of a cartridge type fuse 13. These jaws are, of course, shaped to accommodate the terminal of the desired type of fuse. The jaw 12 is provided with hinge pins 14 pivoted in the ears or lugs 15. The terminal 7, the stationary jaw 1 1 and the lug 15 may be integrally connected by a flange por-tion 16 for reiniorcement purposes.

A cam 17 is rotatably/'carried by the pivot 1 on the moving jaw 12 and is provided with a handle 18. The base of the jaw member 11 is provided with a preferably integral stationary abutment 19 adapted to receive the eccentric portion of the cam 17.

When the cam and its operating handle are in the position shown` in Fig. 4 the jaw l2 is free to be moved away from the stationary jaw 11 so as to permit the terminal of a fuse to be inserted into or withdrawn from between the two clamping jaws. When a fuse is in place the cam u 17 may be rotated by the lever-like handle 18 so as to bear against the abutment 19 and force the movable jaw 12 against the terminal of the fuse, thus tightly locking the fuse in place.

To release the fuse the handle 18 is moved from .m the position shown in Fig. l and Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 4 which permits the jaw 12 to be retracted.

The two fuse clamps on opposite ends may be identical and arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 u or one of them might be reversed so that both handles would normally project in a direction away from the center of the fuse.

In either case the handles swing in planes substantially parallel with the axesiof the fuses s. so as to keep the device compact.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modied form of construction in which the jaws 20 and 21 are flat for engaging the conventional knife blade type of fuse terminal. One of the jaws may have a ange portion 22 adapted to overlie theouter edge of the fuse terminal when in operative position and prevent its accidental removal.

In Fig. 6 the jaw member 12 has pivots 14 mounted in the bearing lugs 15 and 15" and has'a lever or handle 18'. The lugs 15 and 15" are integral with the upright support 23 which is integral with the base 6 and jaw 11. The curved face of the jaw 12' is olset from the axis of the pivots 14' so that there isa cam action against 9. the fuse when the handle or lever 18 is swung over the fuse cap. The stop 24 limits the movement of the jaw 12' in one direction and the support 23 limits it in the other direction of swing. A stop 25 is provided on one side of the jaw 11 .10. and when mounted in pairs on the fuse block these stops are disposed at the ends adjacent the line terminals so that the fuse lies between them and they serve to prevent its longitudinal displacement.

It will be noted that the movable clamping member is pivoted to an upwardly extending and integral side of the stationary member and is arranged to be moved manually from a position parallel with the axial line of the fuse to a posin.

tion at right angles to the rst dened position when it is desired to clamp a fuse into operative position. To remove the fuse, the moving operation is reversed. This construction does not require the use of any tools to insert or remove fuses and the wiping or cam-like engagement of the movable member with the ferrule of the fuse insures a good electrical contact between these members.

Obviously the resilient character of the stationary clamping member permits the lever end of the movable member to be easily manipulated with the finger tips yet the construction insures a dependable engagement of the fuse ferrules with the clamping members.

vA further advantage of` this form of clamp is that the lever end of the movable clamping member extends entirely over or across the fuse ferrule when in use therefore the fuses cannot possibly fall out or rattle out of the clips until each movable member is turned entirely to a relatively right angle position.

When the movable jaw 12 is in closed position against the stop 24 the cylindrical portion of the cam surface closely engages the cylindrical surface of the fuse ferrule and is held in place under pressure from the jaw 11. When in, open position the support'23 prevents the jaw 12' from rotating beyond a position substantially yparallel with the axial line of the fuse and thus prevents the extending handle 18 from coming in contact with any adjoining conductor.

It will thus be seen that my invention provides 2. A fuse clamp comprising a base portion having side flanges and a stationary jaw projecting therefrom, a jaw hinged to the said anges and a cam lever rotatably carried by the latter jaw and coacting with the base.

3. A fuse clamp comprising a base portion having an integral stationary jaw, a second jaw hinged to the base and a cam hinged to the second jaw and coacting With the base and having an operating handle lever movable in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of the clamp.

4. A fuse clamp comprising a base having a stationary jaw integral therewith, a movable jaw hinged to the base and a cam-like forcing member pivoted to the movable jaw and coacting with said base to force said movable jaw towards the' stationary jaw to clamp the terminal of a fuse between said jaws.

. JOHN E. CARLSON. 

